


A Fork of Nature

by clarityhiding



Series: JayTim Spooktober 2020 [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Established Relationship, Halloween Costumes, JayTim Spooktober 2020, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Sasquatch, Star Wars References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26932861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarityhiding/pseuds/clarityhiding
Summary: If Tim had realized that just getting Jason into the costume was going to be this hard, he would have gone with a different theme.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Series: JayTim Spooktober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965217
Comments: 6
Kudos: 125
Collections: JayTimWeek





	A Fork of Nature

**Author's Note:**

> For weekend 2 of JayTim Spooktober 2020, ~~Zombies/~~ Cryptids! Many thanks to chibi_nightowl for taking the time to make sure my words made sense. :D

Tim had been waiting in the parking lot of Jason's building, sending progressively more and more irritated texts, for nearly half an hour. He understood his boyfriend's hesitance about this—it was, after all, the first thing they were really doing openly as a couple, at least among people they both knew. That was a large part of the reason why he'd thought this particular event would be perfect. The Wayne Foundation Annual Costume Ball, always held the first Saturday in October (early enough in the month that the night was mostly free of the inevitable crazy that followed Halloween in Gotham), meant that Jason could hide all his awkwardness behind a mask. Heck, he got to hide it behind an entire bodysuit, with the costumes Tim had gotten for them.

Glancing up at the glowing window Tim knew looked onto Jason's kitchen, he texted again.

> How many times do you want me to say sorry?  
> The costume shop said it was the largest size they had, I thought it would fit fine.

He still wasn't sure if the problem was that the suit was too big or too small. No, Jason hadn't been that specific in his terse texts. Just that he'd suffered a "wardrobe malfunction" and would be late coming down. He considered sending another text—a more biting one, maybe about how this wouldn't have even been a problem if Jason had tried on the suit when Tim first asked him to. But that wouldn't really serve any kind of purpose other than get him into further trouble. Still…

Unable to stop himself, he carefully tapped out another message.

> If you don't wanna go, we don't have to. It's fine.

His finger hovered over the Send button as he stared down at the screen. He would nix the ball if Jason really wasn't feeling up to it, but in truth it _wasn't_ fine. He wanted to do this, wanted to spend one of the few WF events of the year he truly enjoyed with someone he cared about, wanted to take their relationship public. And, most importantly, he wanted to come clean with the rest of the family about why they were spending so much time together these days.

A noise from the other side of the parking lot drew his attention, and Tim quickly put his phone to sleep, shoving it in his pocket. It was only half-past five in the evening, too early for most of Gotham's more dangerous nightlife to be out and about, but there was the possibility of some enterprising soul trying to get a jump on things.

Face grim, he reached for the weapon stashed in the thigh holster that was part of his Han Solo costume. It was a prop, not an actual gun, but he may have fiddled with it a bit, adding a taser component just because he could.

Something huge and hairy lumbered out of the shadows. Immediately the tension drained out of his shoulders. 

"Ugh, don't creep up on me like that. Jerk," Tim grumbled, though most of his annoyance came from the fact that he had been so quick to assume trouble.

Jason made a low sort of rumbling grunt in reply. Apparently, he was really getting into the spirit of this.

Tilting his head to the side, Tim looked the other man up and down. The costume definitely looked a little different in person than it had in the pictures on the packaging, but considering how often photo editing happened to make those things look more authentic, he wasn't surprised. "I don't know what you were so worried about—that thing fits like it was made for you."

Another grunt, and Jason took a step forward. He looked almost… hesitant? Nervous?

"Relax, hardly anyone's going to know it's you. You don't have any reason to be embarrassed," Tim reassured him, reaching out to loop their arms together so they could head to the car together. Then he blinked, and narrowed his eyes. "What, seriously? The bandolier? _That's_ what didn't fit? Jason, this is ridiculous. I'm sure you have enough junk in your apartment to make a new one. C'mon, we'll only be a little late, Bruce won't even notice."

Grabbing Jason's furry hand in his, he dragged him back towards the building's entrance and up the stairs.

A querying growl came from behind him, prompting Tim to roll his eyes. "Of course you need the bandolier. You can't be Chewbacca without one, it totally completes his look."

Another grunt and ugh, seriously? This in-character thing was getting ridiculous. Probably Jason's way of vaguely protesting this whole thing while still going along with it. The things Tim put up with for the man he, well. Uh. Cared for a great deal. Yes.

Reaching the door to Jason's apartment, he came to an abrupt halt. "I suppose you have to take off the whole thing in order to reach your pockets and get your keys out, huh? No worries, I've got mine."

It always sent a little thrill through him, every time he was reminded that Jason actually trusted him that much.

Grinning more than a little foolishly, Tim fumbled his keys, nearly dropping them in his hurry. A warm body pressed up against his back, and he felt his face turn even redder as Jason helped to steady him, finally managing to get the key in the knob, listening to the lock click over.

Pushing the door open, Tim glanced around the usually neat space. It was a bit more cluttered than usual—something he hadn't ever really seen here before. Maybe Jason really was a lot more nervous about this than he'd originally thought. "Okay, so where do you keep your…" He trailed off as something sticking out from behind a counter caught his eye.

It was a foot.

A _human_ foot.

"Jason?" he asked, feeling more than a bit unsettled. Jason hadn't killed in _years_ —and even when he'd been in the very worst of the Pit madness, it wasn't… It hadn't been like _this_. At least, Tim didn't think it had.

"What?" a partially muffled and very familiar voice asked from the direction of the foot. "I told you not to come all the way up here. I nearly have it fixed," Jason's voice continued, his head following. From behind the counter. Because that foot was Jason's foot. Still, thankfully, very much attached to the rest of him.

Tim went very, very still. With the utmost care, he took a step forward. "Jason," he said again. He was trying to keep his voice steady and calm, but he wasn't sure how successful he was being. Probably not very, from the way it went higher and higher each time he spoke.

"Tim," Jason said, doing a much better job of keeping his voice steady. "Did you have a reason for bringing Bigfoot into my apartment, or…?"

**Author's Note:**

> [I have a tumblr!](http://themandylion.tumblr.com/) Come visit if you want ridiculous AU headcanons, rants about the English language (and/or educational publishing), history fangirling, adorable baby bats, and veeeeery occasional fanart. Also, because I am an actual human being with opinions of my own, sometimes I post or reblog things that reflect those opinions. If you can't handle the idea of someone existing in the universe and possessing opinions which differ from your own, you should not click that link.


End file.
